


A Wing and a Prayer

by palominopup



Series: Wing and a Prayer [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-15
Updated: 2018-05-15
Packaged: 2019-05-07 09:34:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14668271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/palominopup/pseuds/palominopup
Summary: A near death experience brings out a confession.





	A Wing and a Prayer

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this one-shot for my special readers in my FB group. I love you guys.
> 
> I hand wrote it on a yellow legal pad and took a picture of every page I finished and posted it to the group. I think they got a kick out of it - plus it showed off my messy handwriting and my thought process.

 

The Boeing 737 took off from Vancouver on time and Castiel settled back in his seat. His lecture at the Entomological Society’s annual conference went better than he expected, but he was ready to get home. The flight to Bangor, Maine was non-stop, and he’d be home by dinnertime.

The older woman next to him pulled a skein of yarn out of her bag and started to knit. He watched for a few moments, unconsciously counting the stitches. The pretty greens of the project reminded him of Dean.

He turned to peer out the window and wondered what his friend was doing today. He was probably in his truck patrolling his district.

The steady clack clack of the knitting needles lulled him into a light doze, only to be startled awake moments later by the plane listing heavily to the right. The whine of the engines sounded wrong, even to Castiel’s untrained ears. His seatmate, gripped the armrest, her knitting forgotten where it landed on the floor between her feet.

The noise in the cabin was deafening. The seatbelt signs were lit and dinging incessantly. The flight attendants were buckling into their seats and screams filled the air.

Castiel remained surprisingly calm while he fastened his seatbelt and assisted the woman beside him. She looked up at him with fear-filled eyes and he took her hand.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is your pilot. One of our engines has malfunctioned, but I can assure you we can land safely with the remaining engine. Please remain seated and keep your seatbelts fastened. I’ve requested an emergency landing in Spokane, where you will be instructed to a connecting flight.”

“See, we’ll be fine,” Castiel assured his fellow passenger. She didn’t release his hand though. To ease her mind, Castiel talked. He told her about his job at the University of Maine. “Dean tells everyone I study bugs, but it isn’t as simple as that. I teach forensic entomology. He loves to tease me, but he brags to all his coworkers.” He rambled on about Dean’s job for a time and then she interrupted.

“Is he your boyfriend?” Castiel frowned at her question.

“Oh, no, he… we… we’re just friends.” Best friends. Friends since he’d helped on a case Dean was involved in ten years previously. The missing hiker turned out to be a murder victim and Castiel was called to assist due to the presence of insect life on the body.

“Well, do you have someone special at home?” She’d let go of his hand now that the plane had leveled out. She reached for her yarn and pulled it back into her lap.

“No.” His answer was short and painful. He was over forty now. Most of his colleagues were married with children. He considered Dean special, but he’d never know.

She patted his arm. “Talk to me some more about yourself.”

“I’m single, but I guess we’ve established that. I don’t know what else to say. I’m not a very exciting person. I do like to kayak. Dean and I go on a couple of trips a year. He’s a game warden and loves the outdoors. Before we met, I was a homebody. He dragged me kicking and screaming on my first camping trip.” Castiel chuckled at the memory.

“It sounds to me like you do have someone special waiting on you.” Her eyes held no judgment and he merely shrugged.

“He doesn’t think of me that way.” She was a stranger and he’d never see her again after today. What was the harm? “He’s been with guys, but he says he won’t _date_ men.”

“Why is that?” She asked, starting to loop the yarn around her needles again.

“I think he’s afraid people will look at him differently.” Dean didn’t care that Castiel was gay, but his father had been a Marine and he might be dead, but the life lessons he beat into Dean still lived on. He didn’t mention that part of the story to her.

A loud popping sound caused Castiel to gasp and the plane took a nose dive. He saw smoke coming from the engine. The oxygen masks were released from above and Castiel had a horrible feeling he’d never see Dean again. He wasn’t ready to die.

The elderly lady – God, he didn’t even know her name – was praying. He fumbled for his phone before his courage left him.

“Heya, Cas, you’re not going to believe…”

“Dean… Please shut up and listen. The plane… we’re going down… I needed to tell you…” He bit down on his lip, tasting blood. “I love you. You are the only one I’ve ever loved. I’m…” His phone lost signal and he let it fall into his lap. Should he pray?

The screams of the passengers and the loud whining of the plane as it hurtled toward the earth didn’t scare him. Not really. He’d said what he needed to say to Dean.

His body was being pressed into the seat and he pressed his palms to his thighs. One of the overhead bins burst open, sending overnight bags, coats, and a laptop showering to the aisle floor.

Closing his eyes, he pictured Dean in his uniform. He was smiling. The sun picked up the ginger strands in his hair. He was beautiful.

Without warning, the plane banked sharply to the left and pulled out of its dive. The screams and sobs stopped.

“This is Captain Singer. Please stay in your seats. We don’t want to risk trying for Spokane and will be landing in Seattle instead. The flight crew asks that you prepare for an emergency landing. Please follow the instructions of the flight attendants.”

The smartly dressed woman and man unbuckled their seatbelts and stood. One picked up a microphone and began reciting the instructions. A frequent flyer, Castiel had heard them hundreds of times before. From his window, he watched the ground get closer. The engine was billowing thick, black smoke.

As he watched, the runways of the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport came into view. His eyes never wavered from the sight. As the plane lost altitude, he noticed the tarmac was eerily empty save for several neon green rescue trucks.

“What’s your name,” he asked softly.

The woman’s eyes were glued to the yarn and needles clutched tightly in her hands. “Mildred.” Castiel smiled, took her hand, and together they put their heads between their legs in the position for a crash landing. The roar of the plane grew louder and Castiel heard the clunking sound as the landing gears lowered.

In what seemed like a lifetime later, the plane’s wheels hit the runway. He could hear the sirens as the emergency vehicles raced toward them.

The aircraft finally came to a shuddering halt. As if still in shock, the passengers remained absolutely still and silent. The flight attendants were the first to move. Everyone began talking at once and then the door to the flight deck opened. A bearded man in a rumpled pilot’s uniform stood at the front of the plane. All eyes were on him. “You’re safe,” he said. His gaze moved around the cabin, then he nodded once and disappeared back behind the door.

It took well over an hour before the passengers were led into a large, private room. They’d been instructed to leave their cell phones off and with several TSA agents standing around, they obeyed.

On a large television mounted on the wall, Castiel watched the news coverage of his flight’s harrowing landing. It all felt so surreal.

Mildred stood next to him. “They’ll be letting us make calls in a few minutes,” she said, her eyes trained on the footage. He felt guilty for not asking about her family and who was waiting for her.

Three men in suits entered the room and called for everyone’s attention. “We at WS Airlines want to apologize for any inconvenience caused today. A bus is waiting outside to take you to a nearby hotel, but before you leave, please check in right outside the door to book your flights. WS Airlines wishes to assure you that we will get you to your destinations tomorrow. All expenses incurred will be taken care of by WS Airlines and should you have any questions, please know that we are here for you.”

The speaker stepped away and another began. “Please feel free to make calls to your families now.”

“Will you be calling your young man?” Mildred asked and Castiel shook his head.

“I sincerely doubt he will want to hear from me.” He should never have called Dean and blurted out his feelings. He was sure that Dean would be glad he wasn’t dead, but their friendship would suffer now that Dean knew the truth. How could it ever be the same?

Mildred looked disappointed in him and he looked away. “He’ll call, you know,” she said softly before moving toward the line to book her flight.

The weight of his phone in his pocket grew heavier and heavier. He was afraid to turn it back on. He was a coward. He’d faced death calmly, but the thought of hearing Dean telling him his feelings were not reciprocated was much worse. All around him people were talking to their loved ones, some smiling, some crying.

Castiel’s family didn’t even know he was flying today. His brother was the only one who even knew he was out of town. Dean knew. Dean knew flight times and numbers. He knew everything. He was going to pick Castiel up at the airport. Castiel laughed mirthlessly. Dean knew everything alright.

A uniformed officer came through the crowd and shouted. “Castiel Novak?”

Castiel frowned, but moved forward, his hand raised. “I’m Castiel Novak.”

The cop looked relieved. “You have one determined boyfriend, Mr. Novak.”

“I’m sorry. What?” There must be a mistake with all the confusion.

“Hey, law enforcement officers stick together. Am I right?” He laughed. “He was worried as hell when he couldn’t get any information from the airlines, so he called us. I wish I had someone who loved me that much. I thought he was going to come through the phone.”

“But I don’t…”

The officer ignored him and punched a few numbers on his phone. “Yes, Sir, Winchester, he’s standing in front of me. All safe and sound.” He listened and winked at Castiel. Winchester? Dean? “Yes, Sir-ree, hold on.” He shoved the phone at Castiel and he had no choice but to take it.

“Hello, Dean.”

“You’re never getting on a Goddamn plane again. You hear me? I’ve got fucking gray hair now. Gray hair, Cas. I’ve never been so fucking scared. You can’t just call me and say ‘ _hey dude, I’m dying and oh, by the way, I fucking love you_ ’.”

Castiel smiled. Dean was yelling at him and that meant he didn’t hate him. “I don’t believe I cursed like a sailor when I was watching my life pass before my eyes, Dean.” His words were met with silence and Castiel’s heart began to race. Was he mistaken? Was Dean angry with him?

“Cas, don’t…” Dean’s usually strong baritone cracked. Castiel heard an audible swallow. “Did you mean it?”

Castiel closed his eyes. Here it was. The beginning of the end. “Dean, I…” What could he say to fix this? That he was just scared of dying and didn’t know what he was saying?

“Answer the fucking question. Do you love me?” There was an edge of something in Dean’s voice that Castiel couldn’t place.

“Yes.” The word seemed to hang in the air for an eternity.

“Then get your ass home to me. I really need to kiss your stupid face.”

Castiel blinked. “You aren’t mad?”

“Damn right, I’m mad, Cas. I’m pissed that you only told me you loved me when you thought you were going to die. I’m fucking mad that we wasted so much time. I never thought you could…” There it was again, that crack in his voice. “love someone like me.”

“Like you? Dean, you are amazing.” How could he not love Dean?

“And you’re a freakin’ genius, Cas. You talk about all those professors you work with and shit, you use Latin names for bugs… I figured you’d fall for someone really smart… more your equal.”

“Excuse me. May I have my phone back? I’m on duty…” Castiel glared at the poor man and he stepped back, hands raised.

“Dean, you are an intelligent man and I love you… more than life.” It was true. The thought of never seeing Dean again scared him much more than dying.

“Hurry home, Cas. Please, just hurry home.”

Home. “I will. Goodbye, Dean.”

“Bye, Cas.” He handed the phone to the waiting officer with an apology. He looked toward the ceiling, his hands tucked into his pockets. He was going home to Dean. A smile touched his lips. Dean didn’t say he loved Castiel, but he showed it.

He got in line. Finished with her own arrangements, Mildred came up to him. “Was that your Dean?”

“It was,” Castiel said, unable to hide his grin.

Castiel turned down the offer of the luxury hotel. He paid an exorbitant fee to book a flight on another airline leaving Seattle that evening. He’d be home by nightfall. Fearlessly, he took his seat and sent a text to Dean with the new flight information. He was going home. To Dean.


End file.
